February 5, 2015
Equitas works to improve communities through sustainable and effective human rights education programs. As members of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, we support the #DoBetter2015 movement. If we work together, we believe Canadians can bring about important changes that will address the challenges of inequality and human rights; climate change; and gender equality.
“We can do better in 2015 to improve the participation of youth and children in communities around the world”, says Equitas Executive Director Ian Hamilton.
We believe that participation is essential when working to enact social change. In particular, the effective participation of children and youth helps to build inclusive communities based on respect, equality and full participation of all its members, regardless of ethnic and cultural background, language, religion, sex, sexual orientation or other distinction.
For almost five decades, Equitas has been developing innovative human rights education programs and tools that build awareness and encourage the participation of children and youth. When young people are aware of their rights and equipped with skills to influence their peers and families, they become active participants in jumpstarting change in their community.
For example in the Middle East and North Africa, we work with youth leaders as part of our Mosharka project. Mosharka, which means participation in Arabic, equips youth leaders to mobilize for change in the region. More than 130 youth leaders in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen are leading human rights projects in their own community. These projects are promoting literacy, women’s rights, and the participation of youth and children in local decision-making in their communities.
In creating spaces and providing tools for more effective participation of children and youth in their communities, WE CAN DO BETTER!